Elon Musk spoke about the extensive efforts his so-called Department of Government Efficiency has made to reduce government spending at the first cabinet meeting of US President Donald Trump’s second term on Wednesday. Musk maintained that his goal was to prevent the United States from going “bankrupt,” while Trump claimed that his team was “thrilled” by the drastic cuts made by his billionaire advisor.
Elon Musk stole the show at Donald Trump’s first cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Despite rumored tensions over his massive government cuts, the US president insisted his team was “thrilled” with the extraordinary power granted to his billionaire advisor.
Wearing a black “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, tech tycoon Elon Musk was asked by Trump to take the stage and discuss the contentious program of his so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
At the White House, the richest man in the world told cabinet members, “America will go bankrupt if we don’t do this.” He also said he was “taking a lot of flak, and getting a lot of death threats by the way.”
Before revealing a black t-shirt with the words “Tech Support” in large white letters, the SpaceX and Tesla tycoon claimed that his job was providing “humble technical support” for Trump’s administration.
Musk referred to the cabinet as the “best cabinet ever” and thanked them for their “support,” denying reports in the US media that some members had voiced their displeasure over DOGE emails sent to all federal employees requesting that they defend their positions or face termination.
The 78-year-old Republican Trump also looked to the top team, which included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who were seated around a large wooden table for the first meeting of his second term.
“Throw them out.” Is anyone dissatisfied with Elon? The cabinet members laughed and applauded when Trump declared, “If they are, we’ll throw them out of here.”
“Some disagree a little bit, but I will tell you for the most part I think everyone’s not only happy, they’re thrilled.”
Government agencies on Monday mainly advised employees to either ignore or minimize the consequences of not responding to the DOGE emails, which have caused confusion throughout Washington.
However, Trump maintained that workers who failed to respond were “on the bubble” and faced termination.
Musk, who is formally an advisor rather than a cabinet member, was given the prominent role, highlighting his position as the most influential member of Trump’s inner circle.
Trump had previously dismissed rumors of conflict over his power, writing on his social media account Truth Social, “ALL CABINET MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH ELON.”
More generally, the meeting was an opportunity for Trump to highlight a spectacular start to his second term. It included an hour-long Q&A session with media brought in under new White House rules governing which reporters have access to Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday to sign an agreement that will grant Washington access to Kyiv’s rare minerals, according to Trump, who announced progress on negotiations to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
By initiating direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump has frightened allies.
In addition, he declared that the “European Union was created to screw the United States” and disclosed that he planned to impose 25% tariffs on a number of imports from his important ally, Europe.
Disputed assistants
Trump was accompanied at the meeting by aides who were publicly selected, frequently for their extravagant pledges of allegiance, and for their determination to implement the Musk-led cuts and Trump’s anti-diverse policies.
Despite exceptionally thorough scrutiny regarding their backgrounds or conduct, the Republican-controlled Senate was able to confirm many of these prominent individuals.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has been accused of sexual assault, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has a history of supporting Kremlin talking points, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, are some of the most controversial.
And Musk, who contributed a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, eclipses all of these influential officials in a scenario that has no real precedent in contemporary US history.
Despite being labeled a “special government employee” and a “senior adviser to the president,” the South African-born tycoon is more frequently spotted with Trump than First Lady Melania Trump or Vice President JD Vance.
He is a major figure in the US space program and the owner of the social media platform X, so his influence is felt in practically every aspect of contemporary Washington politics.